Mary Allen
Brushing is good and strengthens the bond. But you can do a lot more.
Grab the brush
In winter, your dog was protected from the cold season by a dense undercoat. He no longer needs this additional insulation for the summer, so a natural change of coat is necessary for the spring.
It is best to comb your dog from head to toe every day during this time. Do this especially if you have a particularly furry roommate like a Samoyed or Husky. This loosens dead hair, which can then be easily removed. In addition, the skin’s sebaceous glands are stimulated and produce fat, which protects the coat and makes it shine.
Depending on the type of fur, different types of brushes are available. It is important that these are not sharp-edged so that your dog is not injured when combing.
Be considerate of sensitive people
Grooming can be torture for sensitive dogs. In this case, use gloves with special rubber knobs. They gently remove excess fur and are therefore particularly suitable for sensitive souls.
Many dogs perceive the grooming with the glove as an additional pat and enjoy these beautiful moments with their master or mistress. In this way, you can also help those who don’t like brushing to have a nice coat and at the same time strengthen your relationship with your darling.
As with brushing, the dog’s skin is massaged by the soft nubs so that the sebaceous glands produce protective fat.
Remove tangles
In exceptional cases, it can happen that dog hair becomes matted. The undercoat from the winter coat in particular tends to do so, which means that not enough air can get to the skin underneath.
These areas then tend to be attacked by bacteria or parasites and should therefore be removed in any case.
Some dog breeds need regular visits to the groomer. We’ll tell you here what they are.
One possibility is to first gently detangle the hair with your fingers. After that, you can grab the hair by the root and carefully untie the knots with a comb.
If the hair is already too matted, be sure to see a groomer who can trim the area. Own experiments with the scissors contain too high a risk of injury.
Feed unsaturated fat
It is important to adjust the diet of your four-legged friend during the change of coat. Unsaturated fatty acids are found in various edible oils such as linseed oil, rapeseed oil, or safflower oil and ensure that the new coat grows back healthy and shiny.
The contained omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids stimulate hair growth and make the new coat look strong and beautiful.
You can therefore mix a small amount of oil with the feed in spring. Note, however, that too much oil is difficult for a dog’s stomach to digest and can lead to diarrhea. The appropriate amount depends on the dog’s weight and can be discussed with your veterinarian.
Nutritious diet
A balanced diet is always important for your four-legged friend. But especially when changing coats, deficiency symptoms sometimes appear.
An important component of dog food is protein. It plays a central role in hair growth as it is used to produce keratin, the main component of hair. Proteins are found in meat, offal, and fish, but also in quarks and eggs.
Zinc is also “built into” dog hair and should therefore be included in the diet. Oatmeal in particular is a good source of zinc.
You can also clarify with your veterinarian whether the addition of B vitamins or a biotin cure makes sense for your darling.